Filtering arrangement for smoking articles



A. ENT'KELLER FILTERING ARRANGEMENT FOR SMOKING ARTICLES Aug. 6, 1968Filed March 8; 1965 INVENTOR. Anni En: Keller United States Patent3,395,713 FILTERING ARRANGEMENT FOR SMOKING ARTICLES Anni Ent-Keller,Foehrehus, Switzerland, assignor to Hans Ent-Keller, Foehrehus,Switzerland Filed Mar. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 437,721 Claims priority,application Switzerland, Mar. 10, 1964, 3,165/64 7 Claims. (Cl. 13110.7)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A condensation chamber is formed between afiltermouth piece and the tobacco filling of a cigarette by placing adisk with an orifice against the tobacco and leaving space for achamber, and placing a longitudinal membrane into the chamber, theinternal walls of the chamber being provided with an absorbing surfacesuch as gelatine.

The present invention relates to a filtering arrangement for smokingarticles such as cigarettes, cigars and the like, or to mouthpiece, ortips ends therefor,

When smoking a cigarette, smoke is generated which, due to thecombustion, the presence of oxygen and air humidity is saturated, or atleast charged with tar, pyridine, nicotine, etc. This smoke, especiallywhen it is inhaled, settles in the bronchia and lungs of the smoker andresults in irritation and impairment to health.

Incorporating a filter in the cigarettes and a correspondingpre-treatment of the tobacco does not overcome the difiiculty. Thefilters provided operate to restrain all solid and injurious combustionproducts, similar to fine meshed mechanical sieve. Adsorbent chemicals,like activated charcoal, may be additionally used. Yet, tests over theyears have demonstrated that the filters are only partly elfective andthat, besides, aroma of the tobacco might be lost thereby.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a filteringarrangement with a better filtering effect against injurious matterswhile at the same time, leaving the tobaccos aroma undisturbed.

Briefly, the invention provides a mouthpiece for cigarettes, cigars, andthe like, or separate mouthpieces therefor, which includes a discimpervious to smoke arranged against the tobacco and formed with aninjection orifice, and a filter spaced from the disc within the coversurrounding the cigarette, or the mouthpiece. Between the filter and thedisc, a chamber is formed which may be termed an expansion chamber, andthe surfaces of the chamber form condensation surfaces to condense suchtars, nicotine and other harmful substances as may be present in thesmoke. The condensation surface area within the expansion chamber may beincreased by 10- cating bafiles or membranes therein; these membranesare preferably arranged in the direction of travel of the smoke so as toimpede the flow of the smoke as little as possible, while providing atthe same time a large surface area for condensation.

The structure, organization, and operation of the invention will now bedescribed more specifically in the following detailed description withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an opened cigarette tip in perspective with the filteringdisposition arrangement according to the invention;

FIG. 2 to 5 show different embodiments of condensation baffles, ormembranes, and

FIGS. 6 to 9 show different embodiments of orifice discs.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly FIG.

ice

1, a cigarette is shown in schematic form having an outer cover 10,usually formed of paper or the like, and a tobacco filling 11. Arrangedbeyond the tobacco filling, in the direction of travel of smoke, is asmoke impervious disc 1 consisting of a material which is odor free andinert, that is non-poisonous, for example a wad of pressed or gluedcellulose. Other materials may also be used, such as plastics, wood,glass, or the like. Formed in disc 1 are orifices 2 which preferably areround and have a diameter of from .4 to .9 mm. The size and the numberof the orifices depend upon the consistency and fineness of cut of thetobacco filling 11. In general, the total orifice area of any one of theorifices should be within the range of from .1 to .7 mm Various formsand embodiments of the discs 1 are shown at 16, 17, 18, 19 in FIGS. 6through 9. It is easiest to form the discs with openings 2 that areround, although any shape of cross-sectional area is acceptable.

Beyond disc 2 an expansion chamber 3 is formed, defined at its far endby a filter 4, and circumferentially defined by the covering 10 ofcigarette, cigar or mouthpiece. Preferably, the internal surface of thechamber 3 is provided with an absorbing material, such as gelatincovered paper, filter paper, cellulose wadding or the like.

This surface area serves to absorb, and condense substances such asnicotine, tars, pyridine and the like contained in smoke passing fromtobacco filling 11 through orifieces 2 in disc 1 and then through filter4 to the user. As the smoke is drawn through the orifices 2, it expandsand thus cools. The surface area to condense, and absorb substanceswithin the smoke is increased by inserting within the chamber amembrane, as shown at 5 in FIG. 1. The membrane may be in various formsand shapesfor example a corrugated strip of filter paper 13 as shown inFIG. 3; a spiral 12 as shown in FIG. 2; or longitudinally arrangedinserts as shown at 14 in FIG. 4 and at 15 in FIG. 5, which preferablyhave a plurality of absorbing surfacessix in FIG. 4 is the insert issolid and twelve, if hollow; and 8 in FIG. 5. It is also possible toform the membranes in such a manner that they will, to a certain extent,impede the travel of the smoke from orifices 2 through filter 4,although the draw on the cigarette will thus be increased. Regardless ofshape (FIGS. 2 through 5) the element 5 of FIG. 1 hereinafter termedmembrane acts as a condensation and absorbing surface.

After having passed through orifices 2 and expanded in chamber 3, wheretar products and the like are condensed, the smoke passes :a filter 4.This filter may be short, and is arranged to absorb whatever remnants oftar and other substances may still remain. It further distributes thesmoke throughout the width of the mouhpiece.

An additional filter element 6, such as a thin layer of cellulose orcotton wadding may be arranged in front of disc 1, primarily to preventblocking of orifices 2 by loose tobacco which may be forced therein.

In order to increase the effect of the filter, the entire arrangementmay be duplicated and placed in series. It is thus possible to providean expansion chamber within covering 10, defined by a first disc 1 and asecond disc, to be followed by yet another expansion chamber and finallythe filter.

The filtration arrangement described herein can be incorporated as anintegral part of cigarettes or cigars, as well as being incorporatedseparately in mouthpieces or stems.

I claim:

1. Filtering arrangement for smoking articles having a tobacco fillingcomprising a disk formed with at least one smoke orifice and locatedsubstantially against said tobacco filling, an expansion chamber and afilter, said disk, chamber and filter being arranged in sequence oftravel of the smoke from tobacco to user; and a membrane extendinglongitudinally Within said expansion chamber, the inner surface of saidchamber and the surface of said membrane being provided with anabsorbing material.

2. Arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said absorbing material isgelatine.

3. Arrangement as claimed in claim 1, said membrane being a corrugatedstrip of absorbent material.

4. Arrangement as claimed in claim 1, said membrane being an elongatedmember having more than two discrete surface areas.

5. Arrangement as claimed in claim 1, said membrane being a spiralmember extending between said disc and said filter.

6. In a cigarette, a cover, a tobacco filling and a mouthpiece, saidmouthpiece comprising a disk of smoke impervious material locatedsubstantially against said tobacco filling and formed with at least Oneinjection orifice and a smoke pervious means spaced from said disk, thespace within said cover and between said disk and said smoke perviousmeans forming an expansion chamber, and the walls defining said chamberforming condensing surfaces; membrane means extending longitudinallywithin said chamber to enlarge the condensation surface area therein,the condensation surfaces formed by said chamber walls and by thesurface of said membrane means being provided with an absorbingmaterial.

7. In a cigarette according to claim 6, wherein said absorbing materialis gelatine.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,226,473 12/1940 Kennedy 13l102,728,346 12/1955 Crawford 13110.7 X 2,827,903 3/1958 Niederman 13110.7X 2,954,783 10/1960 Lebert 131187 3,292,635 12/1966 Kolodny 131-103 XLUCIE H. LAUDENSLAGER, Primary Examiner.

